Chapter 20

The Doctor watched suspiciously, Rose followed Jack out of the TARDIS. Jack was trying to send him a message and he resented it. Mostly because he knew what Jack was trying to do, and it irked him that he couldn't get the nerve to do it himself. All it had to be was a simple conversation; a simple 'What are we Rose? What do you want to be?'. He scrunched his nose and turned back to Donna, who'd followed him from the kitchen. He shrugged his shoulders, attempting to look nonchalant.

"What?" he asked, stepping automatically toward the console. The Doctor busied himself with the controls, afraid to look up and see that knowing smirk on her face. She read him almost as well Rose, and it still made him uncomfortable.

"Stop worrying! She'll be fine!" Donna responded, stepping beside him and attempting to catch his eye. He grunted, allowing himself to get caught up in the complexity of flying the TARDIS.

"I'm not worried!" he insisted. He could practically hear her rolling her eyes at him.

"Oh please...you've got that look on your face."

"What look?" he paused and looked at her, momentarily confused. Donna pointed, grinning.

"That one! It's your, 'I'm pretending not to worry, but I'm fearing the worst' look." her eyes narrowed and she glared at him accusingly. The Doctor scowled and slammed a lever down, causing the TARDIS to halt unexpectedly, nearly throwing them both to the floor.

"I'm not worried!" he repeated. He picked himself off the floor and brushed off his suit. River and Owen staggered in, both looking indignant.

"Have we arrived?" River asked sweetly. The Doctor gestured to the door and grabbed his coat off of the seat. River raised her eyebrow as she passed him, obviously disapproving. "She's been gone what, two minutes? It's a wonder we put up with you before she got back."

"Oi! Business!" Donna reminded, swinging her arms towards the door. The Doctor sniffed and straightened his posture, shoving his hands in his pockets and striding out the door. River passed Donna and scowled playfully at the Doctor's back.

The four of them stepped out into a large hallway, the walls and floor laid in steel panels. Several small portholes looked out into space and small rope lights tracked across the walls.

"What are we looking for?" Owen asked. He looked up and down the hallway, automatically scanning for personnel.

"The Boss, we need to have a word." The Doctor's voice was grim. He turned sharply and walked down the hallway, leaving the rest of them behind. Donna shut the TARDIS door and began following him reluctantly.

"Come on! Don't just stand there gaping!" she called, motioning for Owen and River to follow.

"Oi! You there! Halt!" That voice sounded oddly familiar. The Doctor cringed outwardly and turned slightly, noticing the time agent in the corner of his eye. He wasn't usually one to argue with guns, so he gestured for the group to turn around and they faced the man. Donna gasped, immediately recognizing Jack.

"Jack?" Owen frowned. This Jack seemed different, much younger and much less burdened.

"This isn't our Jack." The Doctor explained. Jack's grip on the gun tightened and he pointed it at the Doctor.

"What do you mean 'our' Jack? Who are you?" he asked. The Doctor sighed.

"I'm the Doctor. We know you...a future you. Don't ask for particulars, you should know how it goes." he replied.

"If you know a future me, why are you telling me that? and why are you here? Are you time agents?" Jack questioned. River looked to the Doctor expectantly, her eyes dancing.

"We're not time agents...specifically. We're here because we need to speak to whoever is in charge, someone from the time agency is trying to change the past. Not just change the past, they're trying to change human existence." The Doctor told him.
"Why should I believe you?" Jack lowered his gun slightly. Donna took a deep breath and relaxed.
"Because you trust us. You're not sure why, but you do." the Doctor took a step toward him and Jack narrowed his eyes.
"I can take you to the conference room, they're having some sort of meeting and all the big guys will be there. Inside you'll be totally your own, I can't go in with you and they'll be likely to punish you before you open your mouth." he warned. River shrugged.

"We're no strangers to danger." she replied,

"If you breath a word about me showing you there I'll string you up myself." he replied fiercely. The Doctor grinned.

"Brilliant! Lead the way Captain!" he gestured down the hall. Jack folded his arms together and refused to move.
"One more thing, you call me Jack? No one here knows that name, why do you?"
"It is the only name we know you by." The Doctor said. Jack frowned, looking clearly troubled. He unfolded his arms and sighed.
"Follow me." Jack led the way down the hallway and they trooped after him. Owen watched him incredulously.
"Can we trust this Jack?" he looked to the Doctor. The Doctor didn't respond immediately, keeping a sharp eye on where they were in case they needed a quick route back to the TARDIS.

"We don't have much choice." Jack halted at a thick door, the outside engraved with thousands of alien languages. For the first time since stepping on the TARDIS, Donna couldn't read any of the words and the immensity of them was astonishing.
"I suppose I don't have to worry too much about you ratting me out if you don't know my name." he smirked. "Be careful in there, they're up to something. I've been trying to work it out, but I have this inconvenient desire to stay alive." The Doctor cringed slightly at that, looking up at the door to avoid his eyes.
"I'm sorry." he said. Jack raised an eyebrow, holding his hand to the scanner on the wall.
"Just don't cause trouble." he replied. He slunk back as the door opened. River was chuckling at that, and Owen saluted as they headed inside.